But with the smiles expressed by six former Olympic-hopeful gymnasts were also tears.

"I was raped," said Charmaine Carnes, a former gymnast who shared the same coach as the other women.

One by one, this reunited group shared a painful past.

"The rape that was happening was rampant. It was nonstop," added Monica Lenches, another teammate.

The group of six met in Sacramento on Tuesday to lobby for a proposed change in the statute of limitations civil law involving past victims of child sexual abuse.

"This man was extremely, extremely good at controlling us and manipulating us into believing this is what we wanted," said Anne Malver, another teammate.

Current California civil law limits the ability of child sex-abuse victims to seek damages -- an action must be filed by the plaintiff's 26th birthday, or within three years of the date that the plaintiff reasonably discovers the psychological trauma he/she is suffering (comes) from consequences of sexual abuse, read a news release from the sponsors of SB 131.

"At that time, I was in no position to say anything," said Carnes.

However, the California Catholic Conference, as well as a list of other private organizations, oppose the bill because it would virtually exempt all public employees and public schools from the proposed change in statute of limitations, said Kevin Eckery, a spokesperson for the Catholic Church.

"It's just a badly written bill. We want it to be more fair," Eckery said.

"Anyone who the victim of a school or anyone who was the victim of a state agency or anyone who was a victim of a park and rec league, you're going to get absolutely nothing out of this bill."

Regardless, Carnes and her former teammates said they just want justice.

"As a mother, this is about far more than us. This is about protecting our children from a growing problem," Carnes said.

THE COUPLE HAS A 10-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER AND A 1-YEAR-OLD SON. A GROUP OF FORMER GYMNAST TO SAID THEY WERE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY THEIR COACH FOR FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE INSIDE THE STATE CAPITOL. THAT IS BECAUSE UNDER THE CURRENT LAW THE CANNOT SUE THEIR ALLEGED ATTACKER. THEY HAVE SEEN RESISTANCE FROM THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND OTHER PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS. SMILES AND HUGS MARTYR UNION 30 YEARS IN THE MAKING. BENEATH THIS MILES IS A PAINFUL PAST. THE ABUSE WAS RAMPANT AND NONSTOP. THEY SAID THEY WERE SEXUALLY ASSAULTED AS CHILDREN BY THE SAME CALIFORNIA COACH. SHE WAS ONLY NINE AND I WAS 13. BUT NOW BECAUSE THEY ARE ALL OVER THE AGE OF 26 AND ADULTS, THEY SAY THE CURRENT STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS BANS THEM FROM PURSUING THEIR ATTACKER IN CIVIL COURT. THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IS 26 YEARS OLD. THERE IS NO WAY I AM EVER GOING TO BRING THIS MAN TO JUSTICE. OF PROPOSED BILL WOULD CHANGE THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IN CHILD SEX ABUSE CASES. PRIVATE ORGANIZATIONS ARE POSING -- WEIGHT IS WRITTEN EXAMS STATE AGENCIES AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS. YOU ARE GOING TO GET ABSOLUTELY NOTHING OUT OF THIS BILL. HE SAYS STATE AGENCIES CANNOT BE EXEMPT . THERE COULD BE NOTHING MORE IMPORTANT. MIKE TESELLE, KCRA 3 REPORTS